SCENE II
Marion, afterward Didier
MARION (alone, shuts the door by which Saverny went out).
Go—
Go quickly! Oh, I feared lest Didier—
[Midnight strikes.
Hark!
It's striking midnight! Didier should be here!
[She goes to the balcony and looks into the street.
No one!
[She comes back and sits down impatiently.
Late! To be late—so soon!
[A young man appears behind the balustrade of the balcony, jumps over it lightly, enters, places his cloak and sword on the armchair. Costume of the day: all black: boots. He takes one step forward, pauses and contemplates Marion, sitting with her eyes cast down.
At last!
[Reproachfully.
To let me count the hour alone!
DIDIER (seriously).
I feared
To enter!
MARION (hurt).
Ah!
DIDIER (without noticing it).
Down there, outside the wall,
I was o'ercome with pity. Pity? yes,
For you! I, poor, accursed, unfortunate,
Stood there a long time thinking, ere I came!
"Up there an angel waits," I thought, "in virgin grace,
Untouched by sin—a being chaste and fair,
To whose sweet face shining on life's pathway
Each passer-by should bend his knees and pray.
I, who am but a vagrant 'mongst the crowd,
Why should I seek to stir that placid stream?
Why should I pluck that lily? With the breath
Of human passion, why should I consent
To cloud the azure of that radiant soul?
Since in her loyalty she trusts to me,
Since virtue shields her with its sanctity,
Have I a right to take her gift of love,
To bring my storms into her perfect day?"
MARION (aside).
This is theology, it seems to me!
I wonder if he is a Huguenot?
DIDIER.
But when your tender voice fell on my ear,
I wrestled with my doubts no more—I came.
MARION.
Oh, then you heard me speaking—that is strange!
DIDIER.
Yes; with another person.
MARION (quickly).
With Dame Rose!
She talks just like a man, don't you think so?
Such a strong voice! Ah, well, since you are here
I am no longer angry! Come, sit down.
[Indicating a place at her side.
Sit here!
DIDIER.
No! at your feet.
[He sits on a stool at Marion's feet and looks at her for some moments in complete silence.
Hear me, Marie!
I have no name but Didier—never knew
My father nor my mother. I was left,
A baby, on the threshold of a church.
A woman, old, belonging to the people,
Preserved me, was my mother and my nurse.
She brought me up a Christian, then she died
And left me all she had—nine hundred francs
A year, on which I live. To be alone
At twenty is a sad and bitter thing!
I traveled—saw mankind: I learned to hate
A few and to despise the rest. For on
This tarnished mirror we call human life,
I saw nothing but pride and misery
And pain; so that, although I'm young, I'm old,
And am as weary of the world as are
The men who leave it. Never touched a thing
That did not tear and lacerate my soul!
Although the world was bad, I found men worse.
Thus I have lived; alone and poor and sad,
Until you came, and you have set things right.
I hardly know you. At the corner of
A Paris street you first appeared to me.
Then afterward I met you, and I thought
Your eyes were sweet, your speech was beautiful!
I was afraid of loving you, and fled!
But destiny is strange: I found you here,
I find you everywhere, as if you were
My guardian angel. So at last, my love
Grew powerful, resistless, and I felt
I must talk with you. You were willing. Now
They're at your service, both my heart and life.
I will do anything that you wish done.
If there is any man or anything
That troubles you, or you have any whim
And somebody must die to satisfy it—
Must die, and make no sign—and feel 'twas worth
Death any time to see you smile; if you
Need such a man, speak, lady: I am here!
MARION (smiling).
You've a strange nature, but I love you so!
DIDIER.
You love me! Ah, take care! One dare not say
Such words in any careless way! Love me?
Oh, do you know what loving means? What 'tis
To feel love take possession of our blood,
Become our daily breath? To feel this thing
Which long has smoldered burst to flame, and rise
A great, majestic, purifying fire?
To feel it burn up clean within our hearts
The refuse other passions have left there?
This love, hopeless indeed, but limitless,
Which outlives all things, even happiness—
Is this the kind of love you mean?
MARION (touched).
Indeed!
DIDIER.
You do not know it, but I love you so!
From that first time I saw you, my dark life
Was shot with sunlight streaming from your eyes;
Since then all's different. To me you seem
Some wonderful creation, not of earth.
My life, in whose dark gloom I groaned so long,
Grows almost beautiful when you are by.
For 'til you came, I'd wandered, suffered, wept;
I'd struggled, fallen—but I had not loved.
MARION.
Poor Didier!
DIDIER.
Speak, Marie!
MARION.
Well, then, I do.
I love with just this love—love you as much
And maybe more than you love me! It was
Not destiny that brought me here. 'Twas I
Who came, who followed you, and I am yours!
DIDIER (falling on his knees).
Oh, do not cheat me! Give me truth, Marie!
If to my ardent love your love responds,
The world holds no possession rich as mine!
My whole life, kneeling at your feet, will be
One sigh of speechless, blinding ecstasy.
But do not cheat me!
MARION.
Do you want a proof
Of love, my Didier?
DIDIER.
Yes!
MARION.
Then speak!
DIDIER.
You are—
Quite free?
MARION (embarrassed).
Free? Yes!
DIDIER.
Then take me for a brother,
For a protector—be my wife?
MARION (aside).
His wife!
Ah, why am I not worthy?
DIDIER.
You consent?
MARION.
I—can—
DIDIER.
Don't say it, please—I understand!
An orphan, without fortune! What a fool!
Give back my pain, my gloom, my solitude!
Farewell!
[He starts to go; Marion holds him back.
MARION.
Didier, what are you saying?
[She bursts into tears.
DIDIER.
True!
But why this hesitation? [Going back to her.
Can't you feel
The ecstasy of being, each to each, a world,
A country, heaven; in some deserted spot
To hide a happiness kings could not buy.
MARION.
It would be heaven!
DIDIER.
Will you have it? Come!
MARION.
[Aside.] Accursed woman! [Aloud.] No, it cannot be.
[She tears herself from out his arms, and falls on the armchair.
DIDIER (freezingly).
The offer was not generous, I know.
You've answered me. I'll speak of it no more!
Good-by!
MARION. (aside).
Alack, the day I pleased him! [Aloud.] Stay!
I'll tell you. You have hurt me to the soul.
I will explain—
DIDIER (coldly).
What were you reading, madame,
When I came?
[Takes the book from the table and reads.
"To Marion de Lorme.
Love's Garland!" Yes, the beauty of the day!
[Throwing the book violently to the floor.
Vile creature! a dishonor to her sex!
MARION. (trembling).
But—she—
DIDIER.
What are you doing with such books?
How came they here?
MARION. (inaudibly, and looking down).
They came by chance.
DIDIER.
Do you—
You who have eyes so pure, a brow so chaste—
Do you know what she is—this woman? Well,
She's beautiful in body, and deformed
In soul! A Phryne, selling everywhere,
To every man, her love, which is an insult,
An infamy!
MARION (her head in her hands).
My God!
[A noise of footsteps, a clashing of swords outside, and cries.
VOICE IN THE STREET.
Help! Murder! Help!
DIDIER (surprised).
What noise is that out there upon the square?
[Cries continue.
VOICE IN THE STREET.
Help! Murder! Help!
DIDIER (looking from the balcony).
They're killing some one! Ha!
[He takes his sword and step's over the balustrade. Marion rises, runs to him and tries to hold him back by his cloak.
MARION.
Don't, Didier, if you love me! They'll kill you!
Don't go!
DIDIER (jumping down into the street).
He is the one they're going to kill!
Poor man! [Outside, to combatants.
Stand off! Hold firmly, sir, and push!
[Clashing of swords.
There, wretch!
[Noise of swords, voices, and footsteps.
MARION. (on the balcony, terrified).
Just Heaven! They are six 'gainst two!
VOICE IN THE STREET.
This man—he is the devil!
[The clashing of swords subsides little by little, then entirely ceases. The sounds of footsteps become indistinct. Didier reappears scaling the balcony.
DIDIER (outside of the balcony and turned toward the street).
You are safe;
Now go your way!
SAVERNY (from outside).
Not 'til I've grasped your hand—
Not 'til I've thanked you, if you please!
DIDIER.
Pass on!
I will consider myself thanked.
SAVERNY.
Not so!
I mean to thank you. [Scaling balcony.
DIDIER.
Can't you speak from there
And say "I thank you" without coming up?